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Greg Betzold was cut from two teams in 2011 and passed over in OHL and USHL drafts but it’s possible his name will be called at Sunday’s NHL Entry Draft.

The 18-year-old native of Bel Air, Maryland, was a virtual unknown when the Peterborough Petes signed him at their rookie camp last spring. New Jersey-based scout Randy Walker suggested the Petes give him a look and seven months later he was named co-winner of the team’s rookie-of-the-year award.

At six-foot-two and 195 pounds he first drew attention with his size and skating but he also showed skill working corners and taking the puck to the net. He finished with nine goals, 23 assists and 32 points in 67 games. He is rated 100th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

He's come a long way since being cut from both the U.S. national development program and Shattuck-St. Mary’s varsity prep team.

“Pretty much anything can happen if you work hard and play your game and learn from coaches and the players you play with,” Betzold said.

“If you want something and you are good, people will find you. You have to take advantage of every opportunity you have. That’s what I’ve done my whole career. I’ve had my ups and downs but now the hard work is starting to pay off.”

Betzold says he’s seen players walk away from hockey because they got passed over in drafts or cut from teams.

“I never even thought of that. I just used it as motivation,” he said.

Had Betzold not taken a chance and come to Peterborough, a city he knew nothing about a year ago, he says he likely wouldn’t be a draft consideration.

“Playing in the OHL has given me a place to show my game and how good of a player I am to the scouts. Without Peterborough or the OHL I don’t think I’d be where I am in the ratings,” he said. “Last year, I wouldn’t even have thought about seeing myself getting drafted. I had never talked to an NHL scout before I came to Peterborough.”

Betzold was not on the initial CSB ratings and was surprised to see his name at 159th in the mid-term rankings.

“It was nice to know people were watching and know who I am,” he said. “I felt like after that my game took off. I got a points streak going and felt like something good could come out of finishing the year strong.”

Whether he gets drafted or not, Betzold says he’s working hard this summer to try to take his game to another level next season. He’s excited about the team’s potential after their strong finish to an otherwise disappointing season. He says the returning players are abuzz about the possibilities for next year.

“I’m working out and skating five days a week. If I do get drafted, I want to show I belong and should be looked at as a top prospect. If I don’t get drafted, I want to show them that I should have been,” he said.

The exciting thing for Betzold is he lives three hours from Newark, N.J., the site of this year’s draft. He and his family will be in the Prudential Center hoping to hear his name called.

“We’ll drive up in the morning, find our seats and wait it out,” he said. “Of all the NHL arenas it’s pretty cool they picked New Jersey. It’s not far.”

NOTES: Other Petes ranked by Central Scouting include Stephen Nosad at 199th and Michael Giugovaz 11th among goaltenders.... The Petes have also received calls about Connor Boland and Stephen Pierog who might be candidates for invitations to NHL camps if not drafted.